Cut into the east wall as one enters the cistern chamber there is a remarkable full-round Buddha with bhumisparsa mudra. He sits in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus, while crouching lions together with a scalloped throne cloth appear beneath. Two Buddhas, life size and practically in the round, both stand as dramatic presences in the space behind and at either side of the central image, while extremely high relief bodhisattvas stand to the left and right.
On the short west wall to the left of the large Rakta-Avalokitesvara group, the female bodhisattva Cunda, four-armed, holding a rosary at the proper right and a book (on a lotus) on the proper left, sits upon a stemmed lotus pedestal, with her proper right foot lowered (to a supporting lotus) in a position of ease. She holds a begging bowl held in her joined hands.

553 (_CAV3219.jpg)

Bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara

Coming into the great open court, a few subsidiary structures at the front have fallen away--one can climb, at the front left, to an upper level cistern chamber similar to that in Cave 12 and also still functioning. A conventional low seat runs along the margins of the room. A small chamber on the east side of the cistern chamber contains a number of images remarkable both in terms of style and iconography.
The main image is that of bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara on the north wall, for he sits at the back of a chamber which once had an open two pillared front, now badly broken. The deeply set image, fronted by an inset candrasila, shows varada mudra, holds the lotus blossom and has Amitabha Buddha in dhyanamudra in his jata headdress. He sits in the yogic pose on a lotus throne raised upon a stem; the lions which generally support the throne and often must be seen as leonine throne-legs, here are freed from their burden to crouch beneath it. As expected, he is attended by Tara and Bhrikuti, both seated. Tara, at the left, holds the utpala and shows varada mudra, while the four armed Bhrikuti has the stupa in the headdress, a flask, staff and rosary, the proper upper right hand being broken. Above these female images, Buddhas sit, the one on the right with bhumisparsa mudra, while the other, remarkably, has his proper left hand in what appears to be varada mudra.

554 (_CAV3220.jpg)

Bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara

Coming into the great open court, a few subsidiary structures at the front have fallen away--one can climb, at the front left, to an upper level cistern chamber similar to that in Cave 12 and also still functioning. A conventional low seat runs along the margins of the room. A small chamber on the east side of the cistern chamber contains a number of images remarkable both in terms of style and iconography.
The main image is that of bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara on the north wall, for he sits at the back of a chamber which once had an open two pillared front, now badly broken. The deeply set image, fronted by an inset candrasila, shows varada mudra, holds the lotus blossom and has Amitabha Buddha in dhyanamudra in his jata headdress. He sits in the yogic pose on a lotus throne raised upon a stem; the lions which generally support the throne and often must be seen as leonine throne-legs, here are freed from their burden to crouch beneath it. As expected, he is attended by Tara and Bhrikuti, both seated. Tara, at the left, holds the utpala and shows varada mudra, while the four armed Bhrikuti has the stupa in the headdress, a flask, staff and rosary, the proper upper right hand being broken. Above these female images, Buddhas sit, the one on the right with bhumisparsa mudra, while the other, remarkably, has his proper left hand in what appears to be varada mudra.

555 (_CAV3221.jpg)

Bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara

Coming into the great open court, a few subsidiary structures at the front have fallen away--one can climb, at the front left, to an upper level cistern chamber similar to that in Cave 12 and also still functioning. A conventional low seat runs along the margins of the room. A small chamber on the east side of the cistern chamber contains a number of images remarkable both in terms of style and iconography.
The main image is that of bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara on the north wall, for he sits at the back of a chamber which once had an open two pillared front, now badly broken. The deeply set image, fronted by an inset candrasila, shows varada mudra, holds the lotus blossom and has Amitabha Buddha in dhyanamudra in his jata headdress. He sits in the yogic pose on a lotus throne raised upon a stem; the lions which generally support the throne and often must be seen as leonine throne-legs, here are freed from their burden to crouch beneath it. As expected, he is attended by Tara and Bhrikuti, both seated. Tara, at the left, holds the utpala and shows varada mudra, while the four armed Bhrikuti has the stupa in the headdress, a flask, staff and rosary, the proper upper right hand being broken. Above these female images, Buddhas sit, the one on the right with bhumisparsa mudra, while the other, remarkably, has his proper left hand in what appears to be varada mudra.

556 (_CAV3222.jpg)

Cistern chamber - seated Buddha

Cut into the east wall as one enters the cistern chamber there is a remarkable full-round Buddha with bhumisparsa mudra. He sits in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus, while crouching lions together with a scalloped throne cloth appear beneath. Two Buddhas, life size and practically in the round, both stand as dramatic presences in the space behind and at either side of the central image, while extremely high relief bodhisattvas stand to the left and right.

557 (_CAV3223.jpg)

Bodhisattvas - Cistern chamber

Cut into the east wall as one enters the cistern chamber there is a remarkable full-round Buddha with bhumisparsa mudra. He sits in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus, while crouching lions together with a scalloped throne cloth appear beneath. Two Buddhas, life size and practically in the round, both stand as dramatic presences in the space behind and at either side of the central image, while extremely high relief bodhisattvas stand to the left and right.

559 (_CAV3225.jpg)

Bodhisattvas - Cistern chamber

Cut into the east wall as one enters the cistern chamber there is a remarkable full-round Buddha with bhumisparsa mudra. He sits in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus, while crouching lions together with a scalloped throne cloth appear beneath. Two Buddhas, life size and practically in the round, both stand as dramatic presences in the space behind and at either side of the central image, while extremely high relief bodhisattvas stand to the left and right.

560 (_CAV3226.jpg)

Bodhisattvas - detail - Cistern chamber

Cut into the east wall as one enters the cistern chamber there is a remarkable full-round Buddha with bhumisparsa mudra. He sits in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus, while crouching lions together with a scalloped throne cloth appear beneath. Two Buddhas, life size and practically in the round, both stand as dramatic presences in the space behind and at either side of the central image, while extremely high relief bodhisattvas stand to the left and right.

562 (_CAV3228.jpg)

Bodhisattvas - Cistern chamber

Cut into the east wall as one enters the cistern chamber there is a remarkable full-round Buddha with bhumisparsa mudra. He sits in vajraparyankasana on a double lotus, while crouching lions together with a scalloped throne cloth appear beneath. Two Buddhas, life size and practically in the round, both stand as dramatic presences in the space behind and at either side of the central image, while extremely high relief bodhisattvas stand to the left and right.

563 (_CAV3229.jpg)

Female bodhisattva Cunda- Cistern chamber

The female bodhisattva Cunda, four-armed, holding a rosary at the proper right and a book (on a lotus) on the proper left, sits upon a stemmed lotus pedestal, with her proper right foot lowered (to a supporting lotus) in a position of ease. She holds a begging bowl held in her joined hands.

565 (_CAV3231.jpg)

Cistern

566 (_CAV3232.jpg)

Cistern chamber

Coming into the great open court, a few subsidiary structures at the front have fallen away--one can climb, at the front left, to an upper level cistern chamber similar to that in Cave 12 and also still functioning. A conventional low seat runs along the margins of the room. A small chamber on the east side of the cistern chamber contains a number of images remarkable both in terms of style and iconography.

568 (_CAV3234.jpg)

First Floor - corridor

First floor passage with steps in the rear end leading to the upper floors.

192 (_CAV3329.jpg)

First floor - relief panels right of shrine doorway

Relief panels on either side of the shrine doorway with a number of small carved panels showing a total of seventeen varied Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

193 (_CAV3330.jpg)

First Floor - relief panels left of shrine doorway

Relief panels on either side of the shrine doorway with a number of small carved panels showing a total of seventeen varied Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

194 (_CAV3331.jpg)

Seated Buddha - First Floor

At the center of the first floor's front aisle an assertively projecting Buddha in a shallow shrine is seated in the pose of meditation. His lion throne, a scalloped throne cloth over its base, has the conventional throneback motifs above: elephants, vyalas, and makaras, the latter spouting scrolling foliage. He is flanked by the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara (with lotus and Buddha in jata headdress), and a crowned Vajrapani. The latter holds a curiously warped vajra in his hand; some problem in the rock must have been responsible for this. Flying couples - crowded by the bodhisattvas' haloes--converge upon the image from above.

195 (_CAV3332.jpg)

Seated Buddha - First Floor

At the center of the first floor's front aisle an assertively projecting Buddha in a shallow shrine is seated in the pose of meditation. His lion throne, a scalloped throne cloth over its base, has the conventional throneback motifs above: elephants, vyalas, and makaras, the latter spouting scrolling foliage. He is flanked by the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara (with lotus and Buddha in jata headdress), and a crowned Vajrapani. The latter holds a curiously warped vajra in his hand; some problem in the rock must have been responsible for this. Flying couples - crowded by the bodhisattvas' haloes--converge upon the image from above.

196 (_CAV3333.jpg)

Seated Buddha - First Floor

At the center of the first floor's front aisle an assertively projecting Buddha in a shallow shrine is seated in the pose of meditation. His lion throne, a scalloped throne cloth over its base, has the conventional throneback motifs above: elephants, vyalas, and makaras, the latter spouting scrolling foliage. He is flanked by the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara (with lotus and Buddha in jata headdress), and a crowned Vajrapani. The latter holds a curiously warped vajra in his hand; some problem in the rock must have been responsible for this. Flying couples - crowded by the bodhisattvas' haloes--converge upon the image from above.

200 (_CAV3337.jpg)

Seated Buddha - First Floor

At the center of the first floor's front aisle an assertively projecting Buddha in a shallow shrine is seated in the pose of meditation. His lion throne, a scalloped throne cloth over its base, has the conventional throneback motifs above: elephants, vyalas, and makaras, the latter spouting scrolling foliage. He is flanked by the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara (with lotus and Buddha in jata headdress), and a crowned Vajrapani. The latter holds a curiously warped vajra in his hand; some problem in the rock must have been responsible for this. Flying couples - crowded by the bodhisattvas' haloes--converge upon the image from above.

202 (_CAV3339.jpg)

Seated Buddha - First Floor

At the center of the first floor's front aisle an assertively projecting Buddha in a shallow shrine is seated in the pose of meditation. His lion throne, a scalloped throne cloth over its base, has the conventional throneback motifs above: elephants, vyalas, and makaras, the latter spouting scrolling foliage. He is flanked by the bodhisattvas Avalokitesvara (with lotus and Buddha in jata headdress), and a crowned Vajrapani. The latter holds a curiously warped vajra in his hand; some problem in the rock must have been responsible for this. Flying couples - crowded by the bodhisattvas' haloes--converge upon the image from above.

206 (_CAV3343.jpg)

6688 (_ELO5990.JPG)

6689 (_ELO5991.JPG)

6690 (_ELO5992.JPG)

First floor - relief panels right of shrine doorway

Relief panels on either side of the shrine doorway with a number of small carved panels showing a total of seventeen varied Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

3800 (c11_10.jpg)

First floor corridor

3803 (c11_1stfloorV.jpg)

Facade - General view

3854 (c11_F.jpg)

Facade

3855 (c11_F1.jpg)

Facade

3856 (c11_F2.jpg)

View from Cave 11

3857 (c11_landscape.jpg)

3858 (c11_lWentrance-1.jpg)

3859 (c11_rWentranceS7D.jpg)

3860 (c11_S1-2.jpg)

Cunda - cistern chamber

3861 (c11_S1-2a.jpg)

Bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara - cistern chamber

Coming into the great open court, a few subsidiary structures at the front have fallen away--one can climb, at the front left, to an upper level cistern chamber similar to that in Cave 12 and also still functioning. A conventional low seat runs along the margins of the room. A small chamber on the east side of the cistern chamber contains a number of images remarkable both in terms of style and iconography. The main image is that of bodhisattva Rakta-Avalokitesvara on the north wall, for he sits at the back of a chamber which once had an open two pillared front, now badly broken. The deeply set image, fronted by an inset candrasila, shows varada mudra, holds the lotus blossom and has Amitabha Buddha in dhyanamudra in his jata headdress. He sits in the yogic pose on a lotus throne raised upon a stem; the lions which generally support the throne and often must be seen as leonine throne-legs, here are freed from their burden to crouch beneath it. As expected, he is attended by Tara and Bhrikuti, both seated. Tara, at the left, holds the utpala and shows varada mudra, while the four armed Bhrikuti has the stupa in the headdress, a flask, staff and rosary, the proper upper right hand being broken. Above these female images, Buddhas sit, the one on the right with bhumisparsa mudra, while the other, remarkably, has his proper left hand in what appears to be varada mudra.

3862 (c11_S1-3.jpg)

Cistern

3894 (c11_S1cistern.jpg)

Cistern

3895 (c11_S1cistern2.jpg)

Relief panel in Cistern chamber

Female bodhisattva Cunda, four-armed, holding a rosary at the proper right and a book (on a lotus) on the proper left, sits upon a stemmed lotus pedestal, with her proper right foot lowered (to a supporting lotus) in a position of ease. She holds a begging bowl held in her joined hands.